It seems like just yesterday I was chasing Emily Maynard down the streets of Prague and wondering how she stole my heart when so many people in my past have tried and failed. But it wasn’t yesterday – and now enough time has passed to allow my heart to mend and give me perspective and understanding as to why Emily made the best decision for both of us.

The question I’m most often asked is, “Why do you need to be on The Bachelor?” It’s a fair question and I’d probably ask the same thing to someone else in my position.

The truth is, I probably don’t need to be on The Bachelor to meet someone new, as there are plenty of single, nice, attractive women right here in Dallas. But I’m a firm believer that God works in mysterious and often crazy ways and he sometimes opens doors that need to be walked through.

I never anticipated falling in love with Emily on The Bachelorette. Like many cynics, I thought the whole thing was contrived and manufactured. I never thought I’d develop real feelings under those circumstances. I only agreed to be on The Bachelorette for the travel and the experience.

Well, as you all witnessed, my cynicism quickly evaporated and I fell in love with Emily and was convinced I’d spend the rest of my life loving her and her daughter.

Of course, that didn’t happen. After the heartbreak of losing Emily, I was able to really reflect on the entire journey. I came to realize two very important things: My feelings for Emily were real, but she is not the one for me.

So here I am today, The Bachelor. I believe I can find love a second time through this experience and I’m hopeful it will be a lasting love. I hope you enjoy taking this incredible journey with me and I’m excited to hear your thoughts along the way. – Sean